What are seizures?

The terms epilepsy and seizure are often confined. On the one hand, a seizure is the resulting behavior or set of behaviors, characterized by an apparent alteration of responsiveness and/or, sensory, or autonomic dysfunction, caused by excessive neuronal discharges in the brain. A seizure is a single event. Epilepsy is recurrent seizure activity resulting from a primary discharge of aberrant neurons within the brain.

The causes of seizures are numerous. For instance, seizures can result from a tumor, head injury, stroke, metabolic disturbance, and a variety of other conditions.

Post traumatic epilepsy, with seizures beginning as late as several years after trauma, follows about 10% of severe closed head injuries and 40% of penetrating head wounds.